"There are many who prey on the innocent…" Disney has revealed the first teaser trailer for Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, the dark sequel to the live-action Maleficent movie from 2014. This series is originally based on Disney's Sleeping Beauty, but tells the story from the perspective of Maleficent, the "evil witch" who poisoned the princess. In this sequel, the complex relationship of Maleficent and Aurora continues to be explored as they face new threats to the magical land of the Moors. Angelina Jolie returns to star as the iconic witch, with Michelle Pfeiffer as Queen Ingrith, and a cast including Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Harris Dickinson, Robert Lindsay, Ed Skrein, Juno Temple, Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kae Alexander, David Gyasi, and Judith Shekoni. This is only a teaser trailer with a lot of establishing shots and a glimpse at the story, but it certainly does look magnificent and very wicked.

Here's the first teaser trailer for Joachim Rønning's Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, direct from YouTube:

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a fantasy adventure that picks up several years after Maleficent, in which audiences learned of the events that hardened the heart of Disney’s most notorious villain and drove her to curse a baby Princess Aurora. The film continues to explore the complex relationship between the horned fairy and the soon to be Queen as they form new alliances and face new adversaries in their struggle to protect the moors and the magical creatures that reside within.Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is directed by Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Rønning, who co-directed the films Bandidas, Max Manus: Man of War, Kon-Tiki, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales previously. The screenplay is written by Linda Woolverton and Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster, from a story by Linda Woolverton. Disney will release Rønning's Maleficent: Mistress of Evil in theaters everywhere starting October 18th this fall.